Display board assembly and parts thereof



Dec. 27, 1966 N. J. HALIP DISPLAY BOARD ASSEMBLY AND PARTS THEREOF 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 50, 1964 i fa i WI v Jij INVENTOR. A/727;@ /ms' f//d/Lp BY Dec. 27, 1966 N. J. HALIP 3,294,429

DISPLAY BOARD ASSEMBLY AND PARTS THEREOF Filed March Z50, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a, OJ@ @farm/X United States Patent O "ice 3,294,429 DISPLAY BOARD ASSEMBLY AND PARTS THEREOF Nicholas J. Halip, 1907 Arras Place, Windsor, Ontario, Canada Fiied Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,711 9 Claims. (Cl. 287-48956) This invention relates to display boards and the like generally comprising a fra-med panel for exhibiting merchandise or advertising.

The use of `framed units for displayingladvertising media :and articles of merchandise has become an important tool in the field of advertising and sales. With increase in shipping costs it becomes prohibitive in many instances to ship complete units in `assembled form or to maintain complete frames of many different sizes. Although there has been previous attempts to resolve the problem by breakdown assemblies this has customarily required the assembly of many parts and the use of special board material and has not produced framing units of the picture variety with clean cut and realistic lines.

My invention is concerned with this problem. It aims to provide a relatively light weight structural assembly or framing for particular use in connection with commercially available board or panel material and any other material of sheet form capa-ble of carrying advertising media or merchandise, to form a sturdy, compact and inexpensive display unit. My framing may be easily and quickly assembled or disassembled, may be shipped in disassembled condition in packages of minimum size and weight and free of many loose pieces. It may be stored in a minimum of space and the framing members and associated parts may be utilized interchangeably in any number of combinations with local panel material lto produce units of different size and shape. When assembled my framing unit produces a frame of good appearance, free of surface attachments and which has every appearance of a custom built frame.

Accordingly it is an object of my invention to provide a relatively light weight framing composed of mitered framing members which may be easily 4and quickly assembled or disassembled and which in combination with commercially available panel material will for-m a sturdy, compact and inexpensive display unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide -a novel corner construction for use in an assembly of the type set forth in the preceding object, comprising corner me-mbers interfitting with the adjacent ends of mitered pairs of framing members or side rails to form a sturdy composite frame about the periphery of a display panel or other advertising media -and having means for immobilizing the corner members relative to the framing members.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved corner construction for `a framing assembly comprising a corner coupling member or element having leg portions intertitting and releasably interlocking with adjacent mitered framing members of the assembly whereby the framing may be readily and easily assembled and disassembled.

A specific object is to -provide a framing assembly including a corner coupling member for connecting adjacent mitered framing members and locking means operable between the coupling member and the framing members for immobilizing the latter and producing a tight joint at the miter.

Another specific object is to provide a display panel framing including releasably locked mi-tered corners and means for applying a constant 'load on the miter to inhibit separation thereof.

3,294,429 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 A further specific object is to provide a framing for a display unit comprising framing members forming mitered corners with each other, each framing member having ia frontal wall portion defining the front face of the framing and having other wall portions including generally paralleling side walls defining a slideway therewith for receiving a portion of a coupling element, a corner coupling member lcoupling the adjacent framing members forming each joint and having leg portions slideably engaged in the slideways of these framing members and means immobilizing the leg portions in the slideways comprising locking fingers carried by the leg portions and anchored at least in part in the plane thereof, said locking fingers having releasable locking portions in locking engagement with locking abut-ments on said other wall portions of the framing members.

Still another object is to provide a display panel framing as in the preceding objects wherein the locking means or fingers are formed of the material of the corne-r coupling member.

A further object is to provide a display panel framing as in the preceding objects wherein the framing members, coupling members and `locking means or fingers are all formed of -a synthetic plastic material.

An additional specic object is to provide in a display panel framing adjacent substantially rigid framing members forming mitered joints with each other, each member having a frontal wail portion, a pair of spaced apart side wall portions connecting with the frontal w-all portion and other wall portions generally paralleling the frontal wall portion and connecting with the side wall portions to define a slideway, a corner coupling member coupling the adjacent joint forming framing members land having leg portions with side edges slideably engaged in said slideways of these adjacent framing members, `an elongated releasable locking finger carried by the leg portions anchored thereto in the plane thereof and having a head portion normally constructed and arranged to project beyond a side edge of the leg portion and resiliently engaged with a 'locking -abutment defined by an edge wall of a recess in a side Wall portion of the framing member.

Another object is to provide a framing as in the preceding object wherein the coupling member is of a plastic material and the locking finger is in the form of a cantilever loc-ated in an edge portion of the leg of the coupling member and in 4the plane of said leg portion.

Still another object is to provide a framing as in the preceding object wherein the locking linger is a spring metal member molded in sit-u in the leg of the coupling member.

A further object is t-o provide a framing as in preceding objects wherein the locking finger is wholly within the leg portion of the coupling member and has a head portion releasably engaged with an abutment provided by an edge portion of a recess in said other wall portions of the framing member.

A still further object is -to provide a framing as in the `above -objects wherein the framing members include an L-shaped rail portion having one leg connecting with said other wall portions of said members defining said slideway and defining with said other wall portions a further slideway to receive and retain display material in said framing.

An object is also to provide a framing as in the preceding object wherein the other leg -of said L portion of at least one fra-ming Imember is serrated to provide a frame mounting edge.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred forms of the novel display panel framing of my invention and illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIGURE l, is a front elevational view of a display board and framing therefore embodying the features of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the assembly of FIGURE 1 showing the novel framing and interlocking corner coupling construction of my invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken at 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showing a framing member in section and showing the slideways for receiving and interlocking with a leg of a corner coupling member and for receiving and retaining display material.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded plan View of a corner of the novel framing of FIGURE 2 of my invention showing one leg of the corner coupling member interlocked with a framing member and the other leg ready to engage in the open slideway of another adqacent framing member and showing the manner in which the locking finger carried by the leg of a coupling member effects an interlock with a locking abutment provided by an edge portion of a recess in a wall portion of the framing member.

FIGURE 5 is an edge elevational view of the corner coupling member of FIGURES 2 and 4 taken in the direction of the arrows 5 5 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a further edge elevational view of the corner coupling member of FIGURES 2 and 4 taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIGURE 4 showing the shaping of the leg portions to accommodate a dished frontal face on the framing.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional elevation taken at 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the corner coupling member of FIGURES 4 to 7 showing a modified form of locking element anchored in a molded plastic member.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the coupling member of FIGURE 8 taken in the direction of the arrow 9 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a view of a corner portion of the framing of FIGURE 2 showing the corner coupling member provided with a further form of locking element; and

FIGURE 11 is a sectional elevational view taken at 1111 of FIGURE l0 showing the locking element interlocked with the framing member.

Referring now to the various figures of the drawings wherein similar numerals designate similar parts of the structure, FIGURE l discloses a typical display panel assembly generally referred to by the numeral 10. The panel assembly preferably comprises a panel board 12, of generally rectangular form, but which can be of other shapes, for carrying display or advertising media 14, and a rectangular framing generally designated by the numeral 16, comprising the framing members 16a, 16b, 16C, and 16d disposed around the periphery of the panel board -12 wit-h the adjacent ends of the framing members mitered to form closed joints 18. The panel board y12 is preferably of a staff fiber board and the like provided with a separate or integral transparent cover or window 20 of plastic or glass.

Each of the framing members of the framing 16 comprises as seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 for example, a frontal wall generally designated by the numeral 22, a pair of spaced apart generally parallel side walls 24, 26, connecting with the wall 22, and a back or rear wall generally designated by the numeral 28 generally paralleling the frontal wall 22 and connecting with the side walls which walls together, preferably form Ia closed tubular or hollow section defining a slideway 30 for slideably receiving one of the leg portions 32, 34 of a corner coupling member generally designated by the numeral 36.

The rear wall 28 comprises two sections 38, 40 arranged to form a shallow V. From their intersectionl 42 there projects a further wall or rail portion of L shape generally designated yby the numeral 44 forming with the section 38 a U-shaped guideway 4S for the panel 12 and cover member 20. The rail 44 has a base portion or wall 46 connecting with the wall portion 38 of the rear wall 28 at the intersection 42 and has a leg or wall 48 paralleling the portion 38 which also forms the back face of the framing assembly.

The frontal wall 22 is positioned atan angle to the rail 44 and plane of the guideway so as to give the framing 10 a dished or concave appearance in FIGURE 1. The wall 22 may be ornamented with a plurality of parallel scallops 50 some of which as seen may be further ornamented with suitable wood inlays 52.

The framing members may be made by casting, extrusion or forming of any suitable material such as aluminum or magnesium but also lends itself to an extrusion or molding of a suitable substantially rigid synthetic plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride.

Coupling the adjacent oblique cut conplementary ends 53, 54 of pairs of adjacent framing members, as seen for example in FIGURE 2, for instance t-he framing members 16a and 16d in the exploded view in FIGURE 4, by sliding engagement in the slideways 30 of the framing members and forming the mitered joint 18 between these members is the generally V shaped corner coupling member or element 36. The member 36 for reasons presently appearing will preferably be made of a suitable synthetic resin plastic such as a rigid linear polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride. The member 36 comprises the substantially flat legs or wings 32, 34 at an angle to each other, here degrees, generally corresponding to the angle to be made Iby the adjacent mitered framing members, for example the framing members 16a and 16d in FIG- URES 2 and 4. By reason of the angular relationship of the frontal walls 22 of the framing members relative to the panel 12 to provide the dished or concave effect for the framing as a whole the legs 32, 34 of the coupling members are inherently formed at an angle A to each other in a plane normal to the drawing as evident from FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 to produce this dished effect.

As previously described the legs 32, 34 of the coupling member are slideably engaged in the slideways 30 of the adjacent framing members, for example 16a and y16d it connects. It will be evident from FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 that the legs 32, 34 extend the full width of the slideway 30 between the walls 26, 28 of the framing members such that the inner and outer side edges 55, 56 respectively of the legs slide over the walls 24, 26 respectively of the framing members, the legs being also confined in the slideways by the walls 22, 28.

In order to immobilize the coupling members 36 and framing members they connect, I provide suitable locking means generally designated by the numeral 58 operable between these parts. Thus as best seen in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5 the locking means 58 preferably comprise resilient fingers or cantilevers 60 extending lengthwise of the legs adjacent the outer edges 56 thereof and having hammer-like heads 62 which tightly engage edge portions or abutments 64 of recesses 66 in the side walls 26 of the framing members. The fingers 60 are preferably formed of the material of the coupling member and integrally therewith. As best seen in FIGURE 4 for example with respect to the leg 32 and which is typical of all the leg portions the finger 60 is connected to or anchored to the legs in the plane thereof at a point 68 spaced from the outer end 70 of the leg 32 and inside the edge 56 and projects longitudinally of the leg 32 in the direction of the intersection between legs 32, 34 corresponding to the joint 18, and outwardly at an acute angle to the leg 32 such that at least the head portion- 62 of the finger 60 projects beyond the edge 56 of the leg 32. The legs 32 and 34 are recessed as at 72 to enable the locking fingers 60 to resiliently bend about their fulcrum points 68 and move into the confinement of the slideways 30 when the legs and framing members are interengaged and snap into engagement with the edge portions of abutments 64 of the locking recesses 66 in the framing members. If desired suitable webs or secondary fulcrums 74 shown in phantom in FIGURE 4 may be provided between the fingers 60 and inner edges 76 of the recesses 72. It will be observed that the heads- 62 of the locking fingers 60 are shaped to provide an edge or abutment 78 to engage the abutment 64 of the locking recess. This edge 76 is at angle to the abutment 64 such that when the linger 60, under its inherent resilient force, engages in the recess 66 of the framing member the head 62 will have its edge 78 cam along the abutment 64 in a manner tending to draw the adjacent framing members toward each other to lassure a tight miter joint 18. Hence the finger 60 through its head 62 not only acts as a locking detent to locate and lock the framing members relative to the corner coupling members 36 but also preferably provides a preloaded mitered corner arrangement whose intersection 18 is always under load.

FIGURE 4 shows the framing member 16a locked in position on the leg 34 of the coupling member 36 in the manner described and the framing member 16a ready to receive the leg 32 of the coupling member 36 in its slideway 30. It will be evident that `as the leg 32 moves into the slideway 30 so that its edges 55, 56 become embraced by the side walls 24, 26 of the slideway 30 that further inward movement will cause the locking finger 60 to bend into the recess 72 by the camming action of the wall 26 on the outer edges 80, 81 of the linger 60 the latter being the back edge of the head 62 and the head 62 will then ride in the slideway 30 on the wall 26 until the head 62 engages in the locking recess 66 in the manner described above. It will also be evident that the interlock may be disengaged by pulling the framing member away from the coupling member 36 with suflicient force to cause the abutment 64 on the framing member to cam along the edge 78 of the head portion 62 of the locking finger 60 causing the latter to bend inwardly and release the interlock following which the head 62 will ride along the wall 26 of the slideway 36 until the framing member becomes entirely free of the coupling member 36.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show a modification of the construction of the corner coupling member 36 of FIGURES 2 to 6. The -coupling member here generally designated by the numeral 36A is of plastic material such as a linear polyethylene resin and is in all structural respects similar to the lcoupling member 36 of FIGURE 4 except that the locking finger 60A in FIGURE 8 is a separate spring metalmember, :preferably of spring steel or bronze anchored in the leg portion 34A as by integrally molding the same in the plastic material of this leg portion. As shown the leg 34A has an edge recess 82 and finger 60A has an elongated shaped section 84 projecting diagonally away from the end 70 of the leg 34A through the recess 82 from the lower inner corner 86 of this recess and beyond the lateral edge 88 of the leg 34A in the plane of the leg 34A. Moreover the llinger 60A has an inner or base portion 90 of inverted L shape connecting with the section 84 and anchored in the plastic material of the leg 34A.

The outer end of the spring section 84 of the finger 60A is formed with a V-shaped portion 92 made up of intersecting segments 94, 96 which correspond respectively to the edge portions 78, and `81 of the head 62 of the linger 60 in FIGURE 4. The segment 94 will pro vide the abutment for engaging and camming on the abutment 64 of the framing member and facilitating release of the locking engagement while the segment 96 and intermediate portion 98 of the linger 60A will provide the cam edge along which the side wall 26 of the framing member may ride in effecting the interlock.

It will be understood that the leg 32A of the coupling member 36A will be similarly provided with a locking linger 60A and that the coupling member 36A will be assembled with the framing members in the same manner as the coupling member 36 described above.

FIGURES 10 and 11 show a further modification of the structure in FIGURES 2 to 6. Here the corner coupling member 36B is also preferably made of a suitable molding plastic such as a linear polyethylene and each of the leg portions 32B, 34B have integrally molded therein of the same material suitable locking lingers 60B which instead of interlocking with side wall portions 26 of the framing members interlock with the back wall 28 thereof.

Thus as seen in FIGURE l0 the finger 60B freely extends in a surrounding recess from its point of connection 102 longitudinally of the leg 34B in the direction of the miter joint 18 between the framing members 16z and 16d and intersection of the legs 32B, 34B of the coupling member. Moreover as seen in FIGURE 1l the `finger 60B while anchored in the plane of the leg 34B is molded with a preset so as to extend outside of this plane as shown by the phantom showing 103` in this iigure such that when the framing members are assembled the fingers 60B will be under a lateral spring tension in the direction of the wall 23. In addition the outer end of the nger 60B is provided with a laterally enlarged and projecting head portion 104 for engaging under the inherent bias of the finger 60B in a recess 106 in the wall 28 of the framing member to interlock with the same. The head portion 104 has an abutment or cam face 108 that engages with an abutment or edge portion of the recess 106 wedging there against in a manner to urge the framing members to effect a tight joint 18 and which will function to effect release of the interlock when disassembling the framing members from the corner coupling member 36B. In the latter connection it will be noted from FIGURE 11 that the head 104 is no thicker than the leg 34B but the finger 60B is much thinner to provide 4a space 111 between the finger and wall 23 into which the finger and head may move when sliding in the slideway 30 prior to engagement and when being Ieleased. The head portion 104 also has a rearward ramp 112 which facilitates camming of the locking finger 66B to effect the interlock when the slideways of the framing members are slidingly engaged with the legs of the coupling member. It will be understood that a similar locking finger 60B will be provided on the leg 32B of the coupling member 36B.

In assembling the framing the corner coupling members 36, 36A or 36B as the case may be will first be assembled to the framing member 16C, then the members 1617 and 16d connected in place. The advertising media is then positioned in the guideway 45 of the framing members and the fra-ming member 16a to which the other coupling members 36, 36A or 36B as the case may be have been attached is then fitted into position to complete the assembly.

In some instances it may be desired to permanently mount one leg of a corner coupling member to a framing member or dispense with the use of one of the locking fingers 60, 60A, 60B. My invention readily accommodates such a proceeding 1since the leg of the corner coupling member whose locking finger is not to be used or which is to have a permanent attachment may be rendered immobile in the slideway 30 by cementing the same in position with a suitable air or heat hardenable cement composition for example an epoxide cement, to the walls of the slideway 30.

It will be noted that the lower edge 114 of the wall 48 forming the media guideway 45 on the framing member 16a is provided with a plurality of serrations 116 such providing a locating and hanging edge for the framing relative to a wall or other hanger such as la nail.

From the foregoing descriptio-n of my invention it will be apparent that I have provided a novel and sturdy framing assembly vsuitable for the requirements of the advertising and display business and the like that includes a unique releasable lockable corner coupling construction that may be easily and rapidly assembled or disassembled. It will be understood that the principles and features described above and illustrated in the drawings may be applied by those skilled in the art to -arrangements other than those shown. For example the invention may be applied to framing of other shapes than the rectangular form shown and to framing of other sections. Y

Accordingly, all modifications, changes, and equivalent constructions coming within the spirit and intent of my invention and within the purview of the appended claims are contemplated.

I claim:

1. In a display panel framing, adjacent framing members forming mitered joints with each other, each of said members having a frontal wall portion defining the front face of said framing and having other wall portions including generally paralleling side walls connecting with said frontal wall portion and definings a slideway therewith for receiving a portion of a coupling element, a coupling element for coupling the adjacent framing members forming each joint and having free ended leg portions slideably engaged in the said slideways of said framing members and means immobilizing said leg portions in said slideways said means comprising for at least one leg portion of each coupling element, an elongated resilient locking finger carried by this leg portion and extending lengthwise thereof in a direction away from the free end thereof, said finger having a locking portion normally projecting away from this leg portion and resiliently biased into releasable locking engagement with a locking abutment on one of said other wall portions of the portion of the framing member receiving this leg portion and said finger being positioned inwardly of the free end of this leg portion whereby this end is adapted to freely enter said slideway during assembly without initial displacement of the locking portion of the locking finger.

2. In a display panel framing, -adjacent framing mem- 'bers forming mitered joints with each other, each of said members having a frontal wall portion defining the front face of said framing and having other wall portions including generally paralleling side walls connecting with said frontal wall portion and defining a. slideway therewith for receiving a portion of a coupling element, a coupling element for coupling lthe adjacent framing members forming each joint and having free ended leg portions slideably engaged in the said slideways of said framing members and means immobilizing said leg portions in said slideways said means comprising an elongated resilient locking finger carried by each leg portion and extending lengthwise thereof in a direction away from the free ends of said leg portions and formed of the material thereof, said fingers each having a releasable locking portion normally outside the periphery of each leg portion and laterally biased intovreleasable locking engagement with a locking abutment on one of said other wall portions of the portions of the framing members receiving these leg portions, said locking portions being also positioned inwardly from the free ends of the leg portions whereby such end portions are adapted to freely enter said slideways of the framing members without interference by said locking portion.

3. In a display panel framing, adjacent framing mem- :bers forming mitered joints with each other, said members each having a frontal wall portion, a pair of spaced apart side wall portions connecting with said frontal wall portion and other wall portions generally paralleling said frontal wall portion and connecting with said side wall portions defining a slideway therewith, .a corner coupling member coupling said adjacent joint forming framing members, said coupling member having a pair of free ended intersecting leg portions slideably engaged respectively in the said slideways respectively of the adjacent framing members which it couples, means immobilizing said leg portions in said slideways for inhibiting separation of said framing members at said joints, said means comprising as to at least one of said leg portions an elongated releasable resilient locking finger carried by this leg portion and anchored thereto in the plane thereof at a position spaced from the free end of this leg portion and within the periphery of this leg portion, said finger extending lengthwise of this leg portion from said anchoring position in the direction of the joint between said framing members coupled by this coupling member and said finger including a lhead portion adjacent the outer end thereof normally outside the periphery of this leg portion, and there being a locking abutment defined Iby the edge wall of a recess in one of said wall portions of the framing mem'ber engaged by this leg portion, said head portion being resiliently laterally biased toward said abutment so as to be in releasable locking engagement with said abutment and said head portion having a cam face portion engaged with said abut-ment and tending to draw said members into a tight joint under said bias.

4. In a displaypanel framing, adjacent framing members forming mitered joints with each other, said members each having a frontal wall portion, a pair of spaced apart side wall portions connecting with said frontal wall portion and other wall portions generally paralleling said frontal wall portion and connecting with said side wall portions defining a slideway therewith, a corner coupling member coupling said adjacent joint forming framing members, said coupling member having a pair of free ended intersecting leg portions slideably engaged respectively by side edges thereof in the said slideways respecti-vely of the adjacent framing members which it couples, means immobilizing said leg portions in said slideways for inhibiting separation of said framing members at said joints, said means comprising as to at least one of said leg portions an elongated releasable resilient locking finger carried by this leg portion and anchored thereto in the plane thereof at a position spaced from the free end of this leg portion, said finger extending lengthwise of this leg portion from said anchoring position in a direction away from the free end thereof and adjacent one of said side edges of the leg portion and said finger including a head portion adjacent the outer end thereof normally projecting beyond said side edge of said leg portion and there being a locking abutment defined by the edge wall of a recess at least in one of said side wall portions of the framing member engaged by this leg portion, engaged by the said head portion of the locking finger, said head being resiliently biased into locking engagement with said abutment when so engaged.

5. A display framing as claimed in claim 4 wherein sa-id coupling member is made of a synthetic plastic material and said locking finger is an integral part of said member.

6. A display framing as claimed in claim 4 wherein said coupling member is a molding of a synthetic plastic material and said locking finger is a metallic spring member molded in situ with said coupling member.

7. A display framing as claimed in claim 4 wherein said framing members include an L-shaped rail portion having one leg connecting with said other wall portions of said members and defining with said other wall portions a slideway to receive and retain display material in said framing.

8. For a display panel framing comprising adjacent joint forming members having slideways formed by a frontal wall portion defining the front face of said members and generally parallel side walls connecting with said frontal wall and having locking recesses in said side walls, a coupling element for coupling said adjacent members comprising leg portions including generally parallel side edges and a free end for substantially snugly interengaging the slideways of said members and an elongated locking finger on at least one of said leg portions including a head portion for releasably engaging in the locking recess of a slideway with which this one leg portion is to be interengaged, said locking iinger being anchored to this one leg portion within the said side edges thereof and spaced from the free end of this leg portion, and said locking nger extending lengthwise of this one leg portion in a direction away from the free end thereof and adjacent one side edge thereof with a portion of said finger including said head .portion projecting beyond said one side edge, said projecting portion presenting an edge at an acute angle to said one side edge of this leg portion adapted to engage the side wall of a slideway when this leg portion is interengaged therewith for resiliently displacing said inger within said slideway end facilitating resilient bias of said head portion of said finger into engagement with a locking recess in the slideway.

9. In a display panel framing, adjacent framing rnemhers forming mitered joints with each other, each of said members having a frontal wall portion defining the front face of said framing and having other wall portions including generally paralleling side walls connecting with said frontal wall portion and defining a slideway, a coupling element for coupling the adjacent framing members forming each joint, said element having leg portions including generally parallel side edges and a free end substantially snugly interengaged in the slideways of said members, and means immobilizing said leg portions in said slideways of said members, said means comprising for at least one leg portion of each coupling element an elongated locking finger on this leg portion and a locking abutment provided by an edge portion of a recess in a side wall forming said slideway, said locking finger being anchored in this one leg portion of said element within said side edges thereof and spaced from said free end thereof and said locking linger extending lengthwise of this one leg portion adjacent one side edge thereof in a direction away from the free end thereof with a portion of said lin-ger including said head portion normally projecting beyond said one side edge when said element is disengaged from the slideway, resiliently displaced within said slideway with the said head porti-on of said finger engaging said abutment and said linger including an edge thereof normally at an acute angle to the adjacent side edge of this leg portion for facilitating displacement of said locking nger when effecting locking engagement of this leg portion in a slideway.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,665,816 4/1928 Mautner 4 189-36 2,081,722 5 1913 7 Weinzierl. 2,188,209 1/1940 Sharp 189-36 3,034,612 5/1962 Jourdan 189-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 567,572 12/ 1958 Canada.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

I. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DISPLAY PANEL FRAMING, ADJACENT FRAMING MEMBERS FORMING MITERED JOINTS WITH EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A FRONTAL WALL PORTION DEFINING THE FRONT FACE OF SAID FRAMING AND HAVING OTHER WALL PORTIONS INCLUDING GENERALLY PARALLELING SIDE WALLS CONNECTING WITH SAID FRONTAL WALL PORTION AND DEFININGS A SLIDEWAY THEREWITH FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF A COUPLING ELEMENT, A COUPLING ELEMENT FOR COUPLING THE ADAJCENT FRAMING MEMBERS FORMING EACH JOINT AND HAVING FREE ENDED LEG PORTIONS SLIDEABLY ENGAGED IN THE SAID SLIDEWAYS OF SAID FRAMING MEMBERS AND MEANS IMMOBILZING SAID LEG PORTIONS IN SAID SLIDEWAYS AND MEANS COMPRISING FOR AT LEAST ONE LEG PORTION OF EACH COUPLING ELEMENT, AN ELONGATED RESILIENT LOCKING FINGER CARRIED BY THIS LEG PORTION AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THEREOF IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE FREE END THEREOF, SAID FINGER HAVING A LOCKING PORTION NORMALLY PROJECTING AWAY FROM THIS LEG PORTION AND RESILIENT BIASED INTO RELEASABLE LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH A LOCKING ABUTMENT ON ONE OF SAID OTHER WALL PORTIONS OF THE PORTION OF THE FRAMING MEMBER RECEIVING THIS LEG PORTION 